Dear [The Name of the Kid Whom I Didn't Expect to Find Poetry So Interesting],

The more I think about it, the more it seems to me that imagining others complexly is a really good idea. By the way, for those uninitiated, imagining others complexly is an idea I learned largely from John Green of vlogbrothers and authorship fame. (Click on any word in this sentence to find out why vlogbrothers is awesome.) Basically, it means remembering that other people are people too, and nothing more, and nothing less. It means not making them into single-dimensional ideas, and it means using creativity to get to empathy (more on that concept here).

The thing is, I'm not sure it's possible to imagine people really, really complexly. It's hard enough imagining ourselves complexly, and we all have constant access to what it's like to be us. Not only that, there are too many people and too many patterns to imagine everyone as complexly as we imagine ourselves. The trick to it, then, is is choosing good patterns. The failsafe patterns John suggests are that all people are valuable, that all people are like you, and that it's important to remember that you're probably always at least a little bit wrong about a person.

It occurs to me that so far, this post has been a bit dry and technical. Try it out-- it makes the ideas way more interesting.

Anyway, what came along with trying to imagine others complexly was realizing that kindness is essential. I am not usually mean, and I am usually loyal, but these things don't make kindness. I told you about most of these things as they occurred to me. We came up with the idea of kindness week. We're starting tomorrow.

I've done honesty week a few times-- it's refreshing, and it's pretty easy. But kindness week? I'm scared. I'm not good at being kind, not really. I'm not good at it because it takes effort, and it's not always fun, and I'm not even convinced that I like it. But the idea of kindness seems like a good one, so I guess I'll have a go. On the other hand, even in the last few days, I have been impressed by the kindness I've seen in you, and if you can do it, anyone can. (That was a joke; I have every respect for you.)

Chances are high I'm over-idealizing the situation, but when it's a new situation, that's easy to do. Next week, blogreaders, I'll have an update for you.

Sincerely,
Clarie